Downloaded from http://cshperspectives.cshlp.org/ on October 3, 2021 - Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press Clathrin-Independent Pathways of Endocytosis Satyajit Mayor1, Robert G. Parton2, and Julie G. Donaldson3 1National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, and Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Bangalore 560065, India 2The University of Queensland, Institute for Molecular Bioscience and Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, Queensland 4072, Brisbane, Australia 3Cell Biology and Physiology Center, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892 Correspondence:
[email protected] There are many pathways of endocytosis at the cell surface that apparently operate at the same time. With the advent of new molecular genetic and imaging tools, an understanding of the different ways by which a cell may endocytose cargo is increasing by leaps and bounds. In this review we explore pathways of endocytosis that occur in the absence of clathrin. These are referred to as clathrin-independent endocytosis (CIE). Here we primarily focus on those pathways that function at the small scale in which some have distinct coats (caveolae) and others function in the absence of specific coated intermediates. We follow the trafficking itineraries of the material endocytosed by these pathways and finally discuss the functional roles that these pathways play in cell and tissue physiology. It is likely that these pathways will play key roles in the regulation of plasma membrane area and tension and also control the availability of membrane during cell migration. he identification of many of the components Consequently, CME has remained a pre- Tinvolved in clathrin-mediated endocytosis dominant paradigm for following the uptake (CME) and their subsequent characterization of material into the cell.